Forming press



March 13, 1945. C. w, G00DW|N ET AL 2,371,581

' FORMING PRESS A 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 'Original Filed April 26, 1941 "MIU March 3, l 945.

C. W. GOODWIN ETAL FORMING PRESS Original Filed April 26, 1941 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 v 854 t s ,5 4,

Herv/J W gr/Ut Y ATTORNEY March 13, 1945. C, w GOODW|N ETAL 2,371,581

FORMING PRESS original Filed April 26, 1941 7 sheets-sheet 4 Tg1/9a 15 21 1a 111 if" March 13, 19.45.

c. w. GooDwlN :TAL

FORMING PRESS original Filed April 26, 1941 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 l?! j l ATTORNEY March 13, 1945.

c. w. GOODWIN E1- AL 2,371,581

FORMING PRESS Original Filed April 26, 1941 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 March 13, 1945. A

c. w. GoonwlN ET Al. 2,371,581

FORMING PRESS Original Filed Apri-l 26V'. 1941 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 l a `36 y .A 217 15 mij' 200.1 'j 55 215 ,0 f4 .1.7i E N y 1:21 I Y i 17 f2 $5 L 11 20 a 204 10 12./ l 205 Ez' ze g 2 j! l|||ll| l I "mi s jg i EE' o 1% 212 .215 207 ifi 201 206 E: 0 200 g' 215 200 206 h' @d #kN/H0000 Patented Mar. 13, 1945 FORNIN G PRES S Carl W. Goodwin, North Plainfield, N.'J., and

Harold W.'Martin, Malverne, N. Y., assgnors to 1 American Seal-Kap Corporation of Delaware,

Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Original yapplication April 26, 1941, Serial No. 390,468. `Divided and this application April 30,

1942, Serial No. 441,094

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to hood caps, and to a process and apparatus for making and stacking the same.

, Thisapplication is a division of our co-pending application, Ser. No. 390,468, filed April 26, 1941. One ob'jectof the present invention is Vto provide a hood cap having new and improved char acteristics. l f

Another object is .to provide a new and 1mproved hoodpcap of the general type referred to, which may be readily and effectively sealed onto la container'such as a milk bottle.

; ,Another object is to provide a new and improved hood cap having-a skirt, which is'creased, shaped and constructed topermit its easy, neat and effective shaping and sealing over the head ofabottle. f y. l Another object is to providev a new and improved creasing and forming die for the skirt portin of the cap. l, Y

Another object is to provide a new and improved mechanism for shaping and `forming hood caps from at disc blanks. l

Another object is to provide a new and imf proved mechanism forfeeding and seating a reinforcing disc onto =the reentrant or depressed diaphragm of a flexible preformed cap.

Another object is to provide a new and improved mechanism for locking a reinforcing disc in seating position onto the depressed diaphragm of a vpreformed cap,

Another object is to vprovide a new and irn- (Cl. 93-L3) Fig. 5 is a section similar to that of Fig.l 3. showing the cap forming die at a later stage in the shaping operation.

Fig. 6 is a section similar to that 0f Fig. 3,

I ing operation.

proved means for stacking the preformed caps. V

` proved method for making a flexible-hoodskirted cap.

Y Various other objects 'and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following particular description and from an inspection of the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top planV view of a hood cap forming press embodying the present invention. v Fig. 2 is a fragmentaryvertic-al section of the cap forming mechanism ofthe machine shown in Fig. 1. l

Fig. 3 is a sectiontaken on line 3-f3 of Fig. 1, showing the cap forming die 4in initial position before shaping the blank.` v Y Fig. 4 is a section similar' to thatfof Fig. 3, showing the cap forming die 'just before the start of the shaping. operation. l H

yto

Fig. 7 is a, vertical fragmentarysection of the forming die, taken on a radial plane different from that of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a perspective of the upperV corrugation ring, which forms the pouring lip housing of the cap.

Fig. 9 is a perspective 'of the Vwiper `for the slots in the Aupper corrugation ring.'

` Fig. 10 is a, perspective of vthe upper skirt creasing ring. f

Fig. 11 isa perspective of the lower skirt creasing ring.

Fig. 12. is a fragmentary top plan view of an enlarged scale of the lower creasing ring. 1

Fig. 13 is a'fragmentary bottom plan view on an enlarged scale of the upper skirt creas'- ing ring. Y t

Figs. 14, 15'andy16 are sections through the interengaging teeth of the two skirt creasing rings, taken on lines lli-I4, l5-|5 and iE-I6 of Fig. 6 respectively.

Fig. 17 is a top plan view of the hoodv cap made by the forming die shown in Figs.v116.

Fig. 18 is a section of the cap taken on line I8-l8 of Fig. 17. c

Fig. 19 is a side elevation of the hood cap shown in Fig. 17. V

l Fig. 19a.` is a side elevation of *the hoodcap, with parts broken away to show the vent grooves.

Fig.r20 is a vertical section of the disc yfeed mechanism taken on line 2li-20 of Fig.v 1.

Figs. 21, 22 and 23 are sections taken on lines 2l-2l, 22-22 and 23-23 respectively of Fig.

Fig. 24 is a vertical section o-f the4 stacking and disc locking mechanism, taken on line 24--24 of Fig. 1, and shown in'initial operating position.

Fig. 25 is a section of the stacking mechanism similar to that of Fig. 24, but showing said mechanism in the processof locking the disc in position in the cap; and

Fig. 26 is a horizontal section of the stacking mechanism taken on line 26-26 of Fig. 24.

' Referring to the drawings, the preformed hood material such as paper, having yform sustain` pouring lip of the bottle, and an outwardly ex` tending uted skirt I4, adapted to be contracted around the beaded lip of the bottle, and separated from said housing by an annular sharp crease line I along which said skirt is bent.

The DOuring lip housing I3 has a pair of parallel side Walls I'I and I8, and a top wall 20, bridging said side walls, and formed with raised radial ribs or corrugations 2l serving as reinforcements for said top wall. The inner side housing wall I'I is provided with a series of vent grooves I3, to permit venting of the bottle in respense to expansion of the contents thereof. The two side walls I1 and I8 may be skived to iron or smooth out any irregularities in the surfaces thereof.

The skirt I4 is creased sharply along substantially radial lines 23 and 24, and bluntly along lines 25 and 26, and is offset along these lines to form alternate ridges 2'I,` and furrows 28. Each adjoining pair of crease lines 23 and 25 definetherebetween a flat triangular ridge top 29, with its apex near the annular crease line I5, and each adjoining pair of crease lines 24 and 26 define therebetween a flat triangular furrow base with its apex near said annular crease line I5. These triangular skirt sections 29 andS extend substantially at right angles to the axis of the cap.

The side 3I of each ridge 21 extendssteeply downwardly between adjoining pairs of sharp 'crease lines 23 and 24, while the other side 32 extends downwardly( with a lesser slope towards the triangular base 30, to meet the respective blunt fold line 26. The lower` crease line 24 is oset at its radially inner end 24a t0 meet the upper crease line 23, so thatthe ridge sides 3l between lines '23, 24 and 24a, in conjunction with the ridge top section 29 constitute the surplus pleat formingmaterial of the skirt when contracted and pressed over a bottle head.

After the cap is made into the shape shown in Figs. 17 to 19a, its skirt I4 is partially contracted along the crease lines 23, 24 and 24a, as shown in Figs. 24 and 25, to permit nesting and stacking of the caps. This partially contracted cap is then finally contracted over 'the bottle head to form substantially triangular overlapping pleats diverging from the housing I3. The overlapping layers of these pleats may be secured together by a suitable adhesive.

The partial contraction of the cap is effected by forcing said cap, while in the shape shown in Figs. 17 to 19a, through a tubular member with a flaring mouth opening, as will be fully described hereinafter. During this forcing action, the skirt sliding over the flaring surface of the opening is partially contracted. In order to present a bearing surface of substantial area on the skirt to effectively withstand the contracting force, the top skirt portions 29 are fiat and extend substantially at right angles to the axis of the cap. Furthermore, these skirt portions 29 are compressed to stiiTen the material of said portions, so that they can be 4effectively and easily subjected to bearing actionv without undesirable distortion of the cap.

-lng rigidity to permit creasing and shaping.

The bottom skirt portions 30 are also flat, and extend at right angles to the axis of the cap to afford, a bearing surface of substantial area when the partially contracted cap is finally secured to the bottle head during capping operations. These skirtportions 30 are furthermore compressed to stiifen the material thereof, so that they will be more effective as bearing surfaces during this capping action.

'The skirt portions 3l are also compressed or skived to render the material thereof rigid, so that these portions do not buckle during the partial contracting operation described, and the skirt will fold very neatly along their predetermined crease lines 23, 24 and 24a.

f vThe skiving or compressing of the portions 29,

30 and 3| also reduces their thickness, so that when they overlap, the aggregate thickness of the pleat layers is somewhat reduced. This compressing of the skirt portions 29, 30 and 3l also serves to form the blunt fold lines 25 and 26, and the alternate ridge 2I and furrows 28. I

In order to prevent bunching of the surplus material of the contracted skirt I4 around the apices of the pleats, said skirt is skived or pressed at triangular sections 33 near said apices as shown in Fig. 1'?, to reduce the thickness of said sections. This skivng at the sections 33 also accentuates the crease lines 24a, and thereby facilitates'the folding of the skirt into pleats when said skirt is contracted.

The cap skirt I4 is also bent bluntly along lines 34 extending from the radial inner end of each crease line 23, diagonally towards the side 3| of the adjacent ridge 2l', to ease the contracting movement of the skirt along its predetermined crease lines during capping operations.

The cap Ill may be coated in whole or in part with a suitable adhesive such as a thermoplastic adhesive or a solvent softening adhesive. This adhesive is preferably applied to the disc blank II before the capping operation, but may be applied after the cap has been preformed into the shape described.

A disc 35, as shown in Figs. 24 to 26, is seated on the diaphragm I2 to carry the necessary'print ing, to reinforce said diaphragm, and to exert sealing pressure against the internal wall of the bottle. 'Ihis disc 35 is locked in position by inward projections 36, indented from the inner housing wall Il', and overlying said disc.

The machine for making the preformed caps above described comprises a fixed dial bed 4D, and a dial plate 4I, seated on said dial bed, and having a series of circularly arranged holes 42 for receiving cap blanks II and moving them successively, step by step from one operating station to the next. This step-by-step rotation of the dial plate 4I may be effected by any suitable means well known in the art, for example from a shaft .43, secured to said dial plate as shown in Fig.f2.

The cap blanks Il are fed successively into respective dial plate holes 42 by suitable means (not shown) as the dial plate 4I is rotated past a blank feed station, and are advanced thereby to a forming station 45', where said blanks are shaped into the form described. The shaped cap is then advanced by the dial plate 4i to a disc feed station 4E, where the reinforcing disc 35 is fed and seated onto the cap diaphragm I2. Finally the cap with the attached disc 35 is advanced by the dial plate 4I to a stacking and disc lockingstation 41, where the disc 35 is permanently secured in the cap and the completed 'caps are stacked preparatory to their-removal from the machine.

Cap forming mechanism f kThe capv forming mechanism at the station ably receiving a lower diaphragml plunger 54,

which is urged axially upwardly by a central coil spring 55 seated in bores 54a and 5|a in the plunger 54 andthe bed 5| respectively.

Annular facing shoulders 56 and r51 on plunger 54 and the corrugation ringv 52respectively, limit upward movement of said plunger in position shown in Fig. 3, while the downward move--A ment is limited by the top surface 8 `of the press bed 5I. i

The corrugation ring 52 is provided with an annular boss 59-having verticalinner and outer r'during the reciprocation of. said plunger `in the bore 19 of the ram 50.

Slidably mounted over the ilange 82 of lthe uppercorrugation ring 8| is an upper Vskirt creasing ringl, Acooperating with the lower creasing ring' 64'to 4formthe cap skirt, and urged downwardly by a series of coil ysprings 88 (Fig. 7), which are seated in bores 8|a and 81a in the corrugation ringy 6| and the creasing ring 81 respectively. The downward movement of the upper creasingv ring 81 is limited by a plurality of studs 9|, threaded in.' said ring, andV slidably mounted in'holes 92ain'the upper corrugation ring 8| The studs `9| are provided with heads 9|a. sliding in recesses 92 in the upper corrugation ring k8| to limit the downward movement of the upper creasingrlngv81. Y

side walls 60 and 6I respectively, and a top wallk I 62. The top wall 62 carries a seriesof-narrow radial ribs 63, whi1e` the inner wall 60 carries spaced ribsV 60a. extending lengthwise thereof to form the vent grooves |9 on the. cap housing wall I1. i Y,

The corrugation ring 52 slidably carries a lower skirt creasing ring 64, and is provided with an upwardly facing annular shoulder65-which limits the downward movement of lsaid creasing ring 64. The corrugationring 52 isLalso prof vided withV a bevelledk surface 66 between the outer vertical wall 6| and the inner periphery of the creasing ring 64, for the purpose to be described.

The lower creasing 'ring 64 is urged upwardly by a series of coil springs 61 seated in bores 84a and v52a in the creasing ring 64 andthe corrugation ring 52 respectively. The upward movement of the creasing `ring 64 is guided by a plurality of studs 68, threaded into the creasing ring 64, and slidable in holes 68a in the corrugation ring 52. The studs 68 are provided with heads 68h, slidable in recesses 10 in the corrugation ring 52, the ends of which form stops for limiting the upward spring actuated movement of the creasing ring 64.

The ram 50, shown in the form of a cylinder,

has a central bore 15, in which is slidably tted I a piston 16, urged into downward limiting position against a shoulder 11 of the ram 50 by a strong coil spring 18.,Y The ram 50 has a central bore 19 extending downwardly from the bore 15. In the bore 19 is slidably mounted a sleeve 80 having its upper end engaging the piston 16, and its lower end attached by a pin 85a. to an upper diaphragm plunger 85'.y The sleeve 80 is provided with a peripheral groove 80a, into which extend a plurality of stops, shown as screws 80h threaded in the ram 50.

An upper.i corrugation ring 8| is threaded or otherwise secured to the ram 50, and is provided with a ange 82 having a curved` lower surface 82a suited to form the top of the pouring lip housing of the cap, and having a set of radial grooves 83 cooperating with the ribs 63 of the lower corrugation ring 52 to form the ribs 2| on the pouring lip housing of the cap.

` In order to maintain the rib formingv grooves 83 free from lint or other foreign matter, the diaphragm plunger .85 is provided with radial spokes '86,. which slide vertically. insaid grooves plungers` 93 are urged downwardly by springs l 98 seated onanges 94 yoisaid plungers, which also serve as stopstoretain the same in position. These plungers 93 serve to exert an extra downward force 'onthe upper creasing ring 81 near the end ofthe shaping operation, to thereby assist the skiving or pressing of certain skirt sections of thevcap, as will be hereinafter explained. Y

For stripping the kshaped cap from the lower face l`of the vupper diaphragm plunger 85, there is provided an vejector plunger |00, which is axially slidable in a central bore 85h in the diaphragm plunger 85,jand.which is urged downwardly by a coil spring |0|, seated in the sleeve 80 between a flange, |02 of said ejector plunger and the pis# ton 16. The plunger |00 is provided with an axial flange |00a which'labuts against the piston 16 to limit the movement of the plunger.

For stripping the shaped cap from the face of the Iejector plunger |00, an ejector pin. |03 is slidably'mounted in a bore |00bin the plunger andis urged downwardly by a coill spring |04, I

at `a steep angle from/a radial edge 5 of the tooth crown |13, while the other tooth flank -I l2 extends obliquely downwardly at a lesser angle.

. The base ||1 of each interdental groove or space ||8between'dthe adjacent teeth ||0 is formed flat and parallel to the tooth crown I3, and substantially rhomboidal inY shape.

The upper skirt creasing ring 81, shown more fully in Figs. 10 and 13 to 16, is formed with a series of circumferentially arranged spaced teeth |2|, having upwardly `flaring flanks |22 and |23. Each tooth |2| is formed with a flat triangular crown |24, lying in a'plane at right angles to the axis of the ring 81, with the apex of said crown spaced radially outwardly from the inner peripheryl |25 ofsaid ring, and one edge |26 of said tooth crown extending substantially radially of the ring. The section |21 ofthe ring 81, be-

tween the crown apex and the inner ring periphf ery |25, is bevelled andr of triangular shape for 33, as will be morefully described.

Vlv'The side 22 of each' tooth |2|zextendssteeply upwardly towards the base |28 of the correspond ing interdental groove or space |29, while the other side |23 extends obliquely upwardly with a lesser slope. This groove base |28 is .formed flat and parallel to the tooth crown |24 and substantially rhomboiclal in shape. y i

The two creasing rings 64 and 81 are circumferentially arranged, so that during the shaping operations when the two rings are relatively moved axially into skirtshaping mesh, the teeth |2| of the upper ring will extend into respective interdental spaces ||8 of the lower ring 64, while the teeth H of the lower ring will extend into respective interdental spaces |29 of the upper ring. During this relative shaping movement of the creasing rings 64 and 81,'the steep side of each lower tooth |10 moves relatively close to the steep side |22 ofthe upper corresponding tooth |2| to skive the portion of Athe cap blank between said sides, and thereby form the steep thinned sides 3| (Figs. 17 to 19) of the skirt ridges. At the same time the at triangular crown ||3 of the lower creasing ring 54 moves relatively against the fiat substantially rhomboidal base |28 ofthe groove |29 of the upper ring 81 to press the cap blank between said crown and said base and thereby press and thin out said blank over the triangular crown sections 2.9; In this shaping position of the creasing rings 64 and 81, the attriangular crown |24 of the upper ring tooth |2| will be pressing against the at rhomboidal base I1 oi the lower interdental groove H8, and will thereby compress the cap blank to form the thin, highly compressed triangular base section 30 of the cap skirt. At the same time the blank will be sharply creased to form the sharp crease lines 23 and 24 of the cap, while the triangular bevelled tooth sections |21 of the upper ring 81, pressing against the bevelled surface 6 6 of the lower corrugation ring 52 forms the skived or compressed triangular cap sections 33, and also the crease lines 24a.

It is seen that the skirt portion of the capi blank is pressed only at those sections where the sharp creaselines 23, 24 and 24a, andthe tri-- angular skived sections 29, 30 and 3| are formed.

Operation of ,forming mechanism In the operation of the forming mechanism,the dial plate 4| stops intermittently in position to seat a cap blank on the lower diaphragm plunger 54 and on the lower rings 52 and 64, while the ram 50 is in elevated position as shown in Fig. 3. The ram 50 is then moved downwardly to rst causeretraction of the ejector pin |03 upwardly and inwardly into the downwardly moving ejector plunger |00, and then subsequent retraction. of said plunger |00 upwardly and inwardly into the downwardly moving sleeve 80, until these plungers 85 and |00 are stopped by the piston and seat with their lower surfaces ilush on the cap blank il, as shown in Fig. 4.

During this downward movement of the ram 50, the upper skirt creasing ring 81 is carried downwardly until it engages the cap blank H. The continued downwardly movement ofthe ram 5llcauses entry of the upper diaphragm plunger 85 into the bore 53 of the lower corrugation ring 52 against the pressure. of the yielding springpressedA lower diaphragm plunger'l 54 until the plunger 54 seats on the base 5|, thereby depressing the blank il? to form the reentrant diaphragm l2.A At the same time the. upper corrugation ring 8|, pressing against the lower corrugation ring 52, shapes' the ribbed pouring lip housing I3 of the cap, and the upper creasing ring 81 pressing against the lower creasing ring 64 moves said ring 64 downwardly and shapes the flutings on the cap skirt.

During this operation, the inner periphery |25 of the upper creasing ring 81, moving opposite and close to the outer cylindrical periphery 6I of the boss 59 of the lower corrugation ring 52, skives the portion ofthe cap blank between said surfaces to form the skivedouter wall I8 of the cap housing I3.

When the lower diaphragm plunger 54 reaches its lowermost limiting position shown in Fig. 5,

the lower skirt creasing ring 64 is still above its' lowermost limiting position. The downward movement of the ram 50 is continued after the lower diaphragm plunger 54 reaches its limiting position, this continued movement of the ram causing the'piston 'I6 to be moved upwardly against the action of the spring 1B, whereby relative movement between the upper diaphragm plunger 85 and the ram 50- is permitted. Continued downward movement of the ram 50 then imthe ram'5'0.-l and thereby permits the lower diaphragm plunger 54 tovmove upwardly under the action of the spring 55, and to eject the shaped cap from the bore 53 of the lower corrugation ring 52. As the upward movement of the ram is continued, the ejector plunger |00 projects downwardly beyond the lower face of the upper diaphragm plunger under the action of the coil spring |EH, to strip theshaped cap from said face, and the ejector pin |03 projects downwardly beyond the lower face of said ejector' plunger under .the action of the coil spring |04 to strip said cap from said latter face.

Disc feed mechanism After the cap has been shaped into the form shown in Figs. 17 to 19 and ejected as described, the dial plate 4| is rotated to move said cap to the disc feed station 46. The dial plate holes 42 are large enough lto snugly receive the cap blanks I, but after the shaping operation described, the diameter of the shaped cap will be much less than that of the blank, so that said shaped cap will have a great dealof play in its dial plate hole.

In order tol properly center the shaped cap with respect to the disc feeding mechanism, there is provided a brushv 35 (Figs. l, 2 and 20) supported in a fixed' inclined position by any suitable means, shown as a bracket |36, and acting over the surface of the rotating dial plate 4| to brush and hold the cap into eccentric tangential contact with one side of the dial plate hole 42, so that when said dial plate 4| stops for the next operation, said cap will be properly positioned with respect to said disc feed mechanism.

The disc feeding mechanism shown in Figs. 20 to 23 comprises a vertical magazine tube |38, having a slot |40 extending lengthwise thereof, and wide enough to permit the entry of the operators ngers therethrough when placing a stack of discs 35. in said tube. Alongside of the magazine |38 is a disc seating plunger |'4|, disposed in on the sides of said slide.

alignment with the cap as positioned by the brush 35, and slidable `in a' vstationary bracket |42.

The lower end of theplunger I4 is provided'witl'r a head |43 of substantially the same diameter as the disc 35. The upper end of the plunger I4| has secured thereto a head |44, whichV is slidable in a housing |45, a contact rod |46 beingthreaded or otherwise secured to the. plunger |4| and extending upwardly through the housing |45. `A coil spring |49, seated between the bracket |42, and the head |44, urges the disc seating4 plunger |4| upwardly out of the path of reciprocating movement of a feed plate |55 to be described.

The upper end of the rod |46 projecting upwardly beyond the upper end of housing |45, carries a contact disc |46a. In the absence of a disc at thel disc' feeding station, the rod |46 will descend to a position in which the contact disc |4661. will open a switch (not shown) to shut off the drive motor (not shown) and thereby shut down the machine. 2 The housing |45 is secured by collars I18a and I18b and set screws |48 to a yoke |41,'.flxed to the ram 50 for reciprocation therewith. A sleeve |50 sliding in the housing |45 looselyy embraces the rod |46. The sleeve |50 carries a spring |52 seated between the top wall of the housing I 45 and a head |53 formed at the lower end of said sleeve. A nut |5| is shown as threaded onto the projecting end of thev sleeve |50 to limit the downward movement thereof.

For feeding the discs 35 successively from the magazine |38 to the line of movement of the plunger I 4I, there is provided a feed plate |55 which is slidable .underneath the lower discharge end of said magazine, and which is secured for that purpose to a slide I 56 movable along a guide |51. This feed plate |55 has a forward depressed disc supporting section |58 substantially coertensive with a disc 35 and depressed by at least the thickness of a disc 35, to form a circular shoulder |62, suited to engage the edge of a disc 35.` .The shoulder |62 may be bevelled rearwardly or undercut to frictionally grip a dis`c as the feed plate |55 is moved forwardly.

For reciprocating the slide |56 along its guide |51, there are provided a pair of opposed cranks |65, pivotally supported at |66 `on stationary brackets |61, and having arms |68, which flank the slide |56 and are bifurcated to engage pins The other arm |1| of each crank |65 is pivotally connected by a pin |12 to the lower end'of a rod |13, which is slidable in averticall link |15.'

The rod |13 is urged upwardly relative to the link |15 by a spring |16 engaging a head |14 carried by said rod. A pin |18 carried by the collar |18a extends through an elongated slot |11 in the link |15 to provide a sliding connection between the4 yoke I 41 and the link |15.

A spring |86, xed at one end to the guide |51, and at the other end to the slide |56, urges said slide with its attached feed plate |55 to the left into disc receiving position under the` magazine |38. Stops |8| on the brackets |61 are adapted to engage the crank arms |68 and 1| to limit the movement thereof. At the end of the forward stroke of the feed plate |55, the disc 35 is supported centrally underneath the plunger |4I. At the end of its rearward stroke, the disc supporting section |58 0f the feed plate |55 will be directly underneath the magazine |38 to receive the bottom disc from the stack in said magazine.

In order to retain the disc 35 underneath the plunger |4| upon withdrawal of the feed plate |55, there are providedA `a pair of opposed gripping fingers |85, pivotally connected at |86 to the bracket |42, and'having circular lgripping surfaces I81. These surfaces |81 conform in curvature with the curvature vof thediscs 35, and are adapted to engage the side edges of the'disc 35 on the feed plate |55, These fingers |85 are yieldably urged Ainwardly towards engagement with the opposededgesof the disc by means of springsfl at one side of the pivot points |86. The springs |88 may be seated in recesses |88a in the bracket |42. ed inthe bracket |42, provide stopsto limit the movementof the fingers |85.

Operation of disc vfeed, mechanism In the operation of the disc feeding mechanism, a disc 35 is delivered into the position shown in Fig, 20 underneath the4 plunger I4| when the yokev |41 `is in its upward position. As` the yoke |41 is moved downwardly by the downward movement of the ram 50, the housing |45 and sleeve |58 move downwardly until'the.head.|53 of the sleeve |56 engages the-head |44 of the plunger I4|. At the same time, the downward movement of the collar I18a lowers the links |15 and causes pivotal movement' of the cranks |65 to thereby retract the slide |56 with the attached feed plate |55 out of the path of the plunger |4I..

The disc 35, which wasfed forwardly on the feed plate |55, is retained in position beneath the When the sleeve |56 reaches the upper end of the plunger |4|, the feed plate |55 is fully retracted. Continued downward movement of the housing then compresses thespring |52 and, by the force of said spring, moves the plunger head |43 downwardly against thev action of the spring |48 to thereby push ,the disc 35 downwardly from ybetween the fingers |85 into seating engagement on thel diaphragm I2 .of the cap |8.

During this continued downward movement of the yoke 41 after the feedl plate |53 is fully retracted, the pins |18 slide .downwardly in the` slots |11 of the links |15 without causing further movement of the cranks |65. .The feed plate 55 when thusy retracted receves'thenext disc 35 from the bottom ofthe stack in the maga- Zine |38. 1 l.'

Upward movement of the yoke |41 first raises the plunger I4 |l beyond the path of the feed plate |55. When the pins |18 reach theends of the slots'l11`inthe' links |15,fthe links are raised, thereby actuatingthe cranks |65 to advance the feed plate |55. Further movement of the yoke vides a time interval between thestartof vthe upward movement of the yoke |41, and the start v of the movement of thefeed plate |55 tothe right (Fig. 20), to permit the plunger head |43 to be withdrawn upwardly out of the patli of said feed.l

plate. The clearance between the sleeve and the plunger |4| provides a time interval between the start of the retracting movement of' the feed plate andthe downward movement of the plunger I 4| to' allow the feed plate to be withdrawn from the path of said plunger.

Stacker After the disc 35 has been seated on the cap Adjustable screws ISI, thread-v diaphragm I2, the dialpl'atel4 I is rotated to advance said cap to the stacking station 41, where said disc is locked onto said diaphragm and the successive caps are stacked. This stacking mechanism shown more fullyin Figs. 24 to 26'comprises a plunger 200, which is slidable in a sleeve 20I affixed to and depending from the dial bed 40, and which is operated in proper time sequence with the step by step actuation of the dial plate 4I. This plunger 200 is adapted topush the caps upwardly into a vertical magazine tube 202 supported over the dial plate 4I in axial registry with said plunger. The upper end of this plunger 200 is formed with an annular rim 203, registering with the channel deiined by the pouring lip housing I3 of the cap, and forming a recess 204 in the top of the plunger for receiving the cap. This rim 203 is shown of V-shaped cross-section, with a bevelled annular surface 205 serving as a guide to center the diaphragm section I2 of the cap on the plunger 200 as said plunger is moved upwardly.

The plunger 200 is provided with a plurality of recesses 206, three being Shown, extending axially thereof and receiving respective arms 201. Each arm is pivotally supported at 208 near its lower end in its respective recess 206, and is formed at its upper end with a radially inwardly extending punch finger 208a, adapted to indent the inner housing wall I'l of the cap just above lthe disc 35 to lock said 'disc in position. Each arm 201 is cammed into punching position by a roller 200, supported in a recess 2I0 in the upper section of the sleeve 20I, and is formed with a 'high cam section 2| I, adapted to ride along said roller during upward movement of the plunger 200. A spring 2I2 in a recess 2I3 of the plunger 200 bears against the respective arm 201 to urge it towards the roller 209.

The magazine 202 is formed with a ngerslot 2I4, extending lengthwise thereof to permit removal of the stacked caps from said magazine, and is formed at its lower end with a mouthpiece 200a having a ared mouth opening 2 I5, adapted to partially contract the cap skirts as they are pushed upwardly therethrough, so that the cap is partially folded along its crease lines as shown. This partial contraction of the cap skirt is de`- sirable to facilitate nesting of the stacked caps, and also to facilitate subsequent bottle capping operations during which the-skirt is contracted over the bottle head and the overlapping layers of the pleats sealed together.

The ared mouth opening 2I5 leads into a cy*- lindrical opening 2I6 in the mouthpiece 200a of `space for the skirts 'which tend to spring back or unfold slightly from their contracted folde position in the opening 2I6.

y Operation of stacker In the operation of the stacking device, as the as'zmsi plunger 200 moves upwardly from the position shown in Figure -24 in proper time sequence with Athe operation of the ,dial plate 4I, the cap diaphragm I2 is received in the central plunger recess 2I4, and seated on the bottom of said recess. As the plunger continues its upward movement with the cap seated thereon as described, the cam sections 2I| of the arms 201, riding over respective rollers 209, cause the punch iingers 20801l to move radially inwardly against the inner housing wall I1 of the cap as shown in Fig. 25. This causes indentation of this wall I'I, and forms thereby inward projections 36 directly above the disc 35, so that said disc is locked in position. At the same time, the cap is forced through the flared opening 2 I 5, so that the skirt I4 is partially contracted. Due to the shape of the skirt I4 and the lcreases therein as described, this partial contraction will cause the skirt to fold along its crease lines with the'steep ridge side sections 3l of the cap folded inwardly at a reentrant angle, so that the pleat formingl sections of the skirt will be more deiinitely defined.

As the bottom cap is moved upwardly it pushes the stack above it upwardly until this bottom cap reaches a position above the ledge 2I'. The skirt then expands in the opening 2 I 6 and seats on said ledge as the plunger is withdrawn. With the plunger in its upper position the lower part of the arms 201,'below the cam sections 2| I, rides on the respective rollers 209, so that the punching iin gers 20Ba are retracted and the bottom cap is released. The return downward movement of the plunger 200 for the next disc locking and stacking operation can then be effected.

While certain novel features of the invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it will be understood thatvarious omissions, substitutions and changesy in the forms and details of the machine, process and product illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

A machine for permanently affixing a disc in seating engagement with the depressed diaphragm of a hood cap having a depressed central diaphragm, a vertical wall extending upwardly therefrom and an outwardly iiared creased skirt, and for contracting said skirt, comprising a forming ring having a flared opening to contract said skirt as it is passed therethrough, a plunger in substantial axial alignment with said 'rng,. means for feeding a hood cap with a disc seated on the depressed diaphragm thereof between said ring and said plunger, means for advancing said plunger to feed said hood cap through said llared opening, a plurality of spaced punching members carried by said plunger and spaced around the periphery thereof to engage said outer vertical wall abovesaid disc, said members having iingers to indent said wall, and means actuated by and during the advancing movement 4of said plunger for contracting said punching members to cause said lingers to indent said wall to form inward projections overlying said disc.

CARL W. GOODWINL HAROLD W. MARTIN. 

